By Eastern Newspaper correspondent
Residents in different parts of Tharaka Nithi have welcomed new tarmac, graveling, and other road projects done by Governor Muthomi Njuki’s administration.
The once difficult to navigate through roads are now improved, as Governor Njuki worked to deliver on one of his key election pledges.
The road improvement projects are spread across the three constituencies; Chuka/Igambangómbe, Maara, and Tharaka.
One of the new projects is the 3km tarmacked stretch of the Kambandi-Cheera-Ruguti road, with plans to tarmac eight more kilometers of it on.
The road was always impassable whenever there was a downpour, with drivers forced to find alternative routes to and from Chuka town, the commercial headquarters.
“It was always torture for us as children to walk from Cheera to Chuka town whenever it rained. There was no driver worth his salt who would risk trying to cross the Irigo river when it rained. Many vehicles have skidded into the river. But we now have tarmac and it is smooth-sailing rain or shine,” said a relieved Jeb Kaimuri, a Cheera resident.
She said the bridge across Irigo river and the tarmac have come as a big relief to farmers who have always transported their produce to Kaana market on the Tharaka part.
“In the effort to improve the road network, my government embarked on tarmacking different roads in the county. So far we have completed tarmacking the 2.1km Chogoria town (Maara) 2km Kibugua( Chuka-Igambangómbe) market road’ Governor Njuki told the Eastern Newspaper.
In addition to on-going road works in different parts of the county, Njuki said his administration was also in the process of completing
And the government is in process of completing the 3.5km stretch of Kaanwa –Mitheru road, out of the 7.5km project.
The other crucial project is the 3.0km section of the Tunyai – Nthaara road out of the 21km the devolved unit plans to do.
The new projects come in the wake of improving others which were in a pathetic condition and which always were rendered impassable during rainy seasons.
The government has in the past financial year done routine maintenance and spot improvement of approximately 48 km of roads in different parts of the county, including Katharaka -Chiakanyinga – Mukui, Kabauni-Materi Girls –Mutonga, Kangoro-Ikuu-Rubate- Ruguti and Chiakariga- Kaungui-Kamanyaki.
Others are Mutonga-Kaare –Nguruki, Baragu Igwanjau, Kibugua – Magenka, and Mitheru -Kiini Giampampo roads.
Njuki pumped Sh111.4 million conditional grant from the Kenya Roads Board in the 2019/2020 financial year to murram and gravel over 210km of roads countywide.
The works came as relief to long-suffering residents who could not access social amenities with ease.
The projects included Mukothima -Iriani -Kabuabua –Gatithini, Kithaga- Matiri – Kamarandi, Kianjagi – Kilimo Utalii- Wiru- Kamarara, Kaare-Igakiramba- Ikumbo (Maara) And Kanini- Kaare (Mwimbi) and Kiunguni-Nkumbo-Katheru roads.
The other upgraded road was the Ndagoni-Nthigiriri and PCEA Kangoro- Kirigi- Ruguti Bridge- Karandini.
government has maintained over 860km of road in the financial year 2019/2020,” he said.
County Roads Executive Julius Giti said it is remarkable progress towards achieving their goal of putting up a reliable road network across the county, to spur growth and improve the lives of people in the grassroots.
